Chase Away My Nightmares
by Nika Dixon
Summary: Jennifer's nightmares won't stop until a certain Satedan finds a solution. Ronon/Keller pre-ship. Stand alone fluffy or a follow up to Three's the Charm. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

ONE

Jen's heart slammed against her rib cage with such force it made her chest hurt. Gulping in huge breaths of air she struggled to free herself from the twisted wisps of the nightmare.

"Damn it." She hissed between breaths. "Just one night. Is it too much to ask for just one night's sleep?"

Between the memories of being kidnapped, horrific dreams about the Wraith attacking her friends and family back on Earth, and worried thoughts of Ronon, John and Rodney, she couldn't sleep for more than an hour or two without shocking herself awake.

She _knew_ they were all safe aboard the Daedalus. Ronon was fine. The Wraith didn't reach Earth. John and Rodney were rescued from the jumper after the Midway station was destroyed.

She repeatedly told herself they were fine.

Hell, she'd even had the medical team on the Daedalus confirm they were all fine. Yet somehow, knowing they were okay, and actually physically seeing they were okay was apparently two very different things, because until she could actually see them with her own eyes, and check them out for herself, she wasn't able to believe it.

She knew it was foolish, and she knew the worry was just fuel for the nightmares, but she couldn't seem to stop it from happening over and over, night after night.

She flopped back down onto the pillow her breathing staggered and shaky. Jamming the heels of her hand over her eyes she fought the tears threatening to come.

God, she was so tired!

With an exasperated sigh Jen checked her watch. One twenty a.m. She'd barely been in bed for forty minutes this time.

"Damn it."

She stared at the ceiling and wanted to just give in and cry. But she didn't. Wouldn't. After a few minutes of feeling sorry for herself, she swiped a rogue tear away and crawled out of bed. Yanking on her running shoes she prepared for what had become her new nightly ritual – walking the empty halls until she was too tired to dream.

Roaming around, half asleep, half awake, she made a slow circuit of the core of the city. Eventually her legs started to feel like rubber, which was usually her cue to fall into bed and hopefully sleep for another couple hours before starting again. Only tonight her mind wouldn't stop thinking. Wouldn't shut down.

She shrugged and shook her head. She didn't technically have to be on duty until two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. She _could_ always catch a nap once the sun came up. For some reason daylight made the sleep come easier, but unfortunately, she couldn't work afternoon's forever.

She turned through one of the lower doors and headed outside, the cool night air filling her lungs. Jamming her hands into the front pocket of her hoodie, she walked until she forgot why she was walking. She finally stopped and slid down against the side of a building. Pulling her legs to her chest Jen stared out at the lights across the city and lost herself in thought.

Touching her fingers lightly to her lips, she smiled.

_Now why couldn't she just dream about more of that?_

She shook her head and laughed softly.

Okay, yeah, so what if she missed him?

It wasn't like she had an actual _reason_ to miss him.

She just… did.

The man drove her absolutely crazy. She could barely speak a coherent sentence around him, he made her so flustered. The first time he'd shown up in the infirmary and glared at her with the full power of those deep green eyes, she was lost.

She wasn't afraid of him.

She was afraid of herself.

He made her want things she shouldn't be wanting. Couldn't be wanting. She was the CMO of an expedition to a galaxy on the other side of the universe for God's sake. She shouldn't be pining after a man who was so far out of her league it was laughable. He was a warrior. And she couldn't even kill a spider. They weren't the least bit compatible.

Or so she'd try to convince herself.

Then her mind would drift quickly to the what-if's and the questions would begin anew. What if Zelenka hadn't reset the power at that exact moment? What if he'd kissed her then? What if she were to ask him to dinner? A date? Would he say yes? Would he say no?

She'd wanted to ask him.

To find out.

But hadn't been given a chance yet.

It had been a month since she'd last seen him - and she'd been so schnockered on painkillers she barely remembered their conversation. She'd still been in the infirmary when he headed to Earth for his interview with the IOA.

"Back in a couple of days." Was all he'd said.

_A couple of days, my ass_, she muttered.

A couple of weeks was more like it.

Jen shook her head. At least he'd finally be back home tomorrow. They'd all be back tomorrow.

And she'd be so damn tired she probably wouldn't even notice.

That thought made her smile. Then giggle. Then it developed into a laughter so strong she stopped making noise. Tears ran down her face with the force of the emotion and she dropped her head onto her knees to ride it out.


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

Ronon jogged across the empty pier, feeling the immense satisfaction of having the wind in his face, the smells of the ocean in his nostrils, and nothing over his head except the stars.

Being stuck on the Daedalus with no means of escape had almost driven him to murder.

More than once.

The trip from his interview with the IOA to the remains of the Midway station was bad enough without the added stress of not knowing what had become of his friends. John and Rodney had been on the station before it was destroyed, and waiting to find out what had become of them had damn near eaten him alive.

The fact that the trip was made on the Daedalus just made things worse. It didn't help that sections of those damn Earth ships weren't built for anyone over six feet tall. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd smacked his forehead off a bulkhead or protruding pipe. The food was bland, the company annoying, and the bed was so confining he'd ended up dragging the blanket and pillow off and sleeping on the floor.

When they'd finally reached the debris field that marked the remains of the station he'd felt a world of relief lifted from his shoulders to see the puddle jumper free floating – with Sheppard and McKay's life signs intact. He hadn't realized just how much the thought of losing them was driving him crazy until they'd opened the door of that jumper… because he'd even been happy to see McKay.

They'd spent hours catching up and enjoying each other's company before they settled into the second half of the trip. It didn't take more than a day of the continued confinement before he had to agree with Sheppard.

Being stuck sucked.

He'd had nothing to do but think.

Then think some more.

His life had taken a strange twist and he hadn't even noticed. For too many year's he'd been running. Too many years fighting for revenge. For darkness. For death. And now, all of a sudden, he wasn't running any more.

The minute he realized he'd actually _wanted_ the IOA's approval he'd felt like he'd been torn apart and put back together in someone else's life. He _wanted_ to be here – to call this place home. The concept was so foreign he hadn't realized what it was until he'd stepped onto the smooth tiled floors of Atlantis earlier this evening.

He hadn't thought of home since Sateda.

Since Melena.

Life had changed.

He'd changed.

Home. Friends. Future. The thoughts bothered him so much the only thing he sought to do was run himself into oblivion. _Don't get comfortable._ He warned himself. _Don't let yourself get lulled into thinking it's permanent. _

The more he ran, the more he chanted. But the trip through the city was actually having the opposite effect.

It was making him feel… content.

As he rounded the final corner and headed back towards the main tower, a muted snuffling noise reached his ears and he slowed, listening. It sounded again, making him stop this time, his ears and eyes seeking it out.

A different noise. Soft. It sounded suspiciously like muffled laughter. Curious as to who'd be out here at this time of night, he walked forward, eyes searching the darkness for whoever it was.

"Oh man, I've finally lost my mind." A whisper sounded close by.

He turned, backtracking, eyes finally falling on a single huddled shape. Someone was tucked into one of the recessed nooks alongside a support tower, and judging by the small size it was a woman.

He moved slowly, not wanting to startle her, which was funny in itself because he pretty much startled every damn woman on the base just by being here.

She didn't acknowledge him, so he cleared his throat.

When her head lifted suddenly his heart stopped.

"Doc?"

Jen blinked up at Ronon - who was standing a few feet away, and looking pretty damn real for a figment of her imagination. She blinked, squinted, then barked out a laugh.

"Great!" She stood up with a flourish, wiping the tears off her cheeks. "Now I'm hallucinating. Bloody freeking brilliant. Someone please just shoot me."

Jen knew she wasn't asleep. Well, she was pretty sure anyway. Her feet and hands were too cold now for her to be dreaming, and her butt was sore from sitting upon the chilly, unforgiving surface of the pier. So the only explanation that she was seeing Ronon was that she'd finally lost her mind. Completely and unequivocally. Yep. She'd gone insane.

With a huff of air she started to stomp madly away, but Ronon's ghost was still standing in her way. "Oh, go away." she muttered up at him, swinging her hand to wave him away.

The back of her hand met very warm, very solid flesh.

Jen shrieked and stepped back.

Ronon frowned. Okay… This was definitely not the way he'd envisioned running into her.

"You okay?" He stepped forward, stopping when she back peddled with a loud gasp.

"Crap!" She mumbled, her eyes wide. "You're… real? You're back?"

He nodded, once, wondering why she'd think he wasn't real.

"But-but-you're not supposed to be here. The Daedalus isn't due back until tomorrow afternoon!"

His brow furrowed when she leaned forward and poked him twice in the chest with her index finger.

"Got back early." He answered, angling his head, concerned for her obvious state of confusion. Why would she think she was hallucinating? And why had she been crying? Was she ill? Had someone done something to hurt her? And why was she poking him?

He stepped closer, forcing her to tip her head back in order to look up at him. Using the faint light from the tower overhead he was able to get a proper look at her face.

Her eyes were wide and confused, her cheeks still damp from the tears. She looked… exhausted. Anxious.

She blinked up at him. "You're really here?"

Ronon nodded, then exhaled sharply when she slammed against his chest and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.

"Welcome back." She muffled into his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

Jen finally stepped back, her face flushing. Okay so maybe throwing herself at the man wasn't the way she'd actually played out their reunion in her mind. Conversation, sure. Hell even saying hello _first_ would have been a polite addition? But no… she has to launch herself into him. Subtle, Keller. Subtle.

"Sorry." She sighed. "I ah, yeah." She quickly rubbed her eyes and tried to smile.

"Sure you're okay?" He asked softly.

"Yes." She nodded, then shook her head. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"It's the middle of the night?"

Jen shrugged and fiddled nervously with the ties hanging out of the hood of her sweatshirt. "I ah… couldn't sleep?" Jamming her hands back into her pocket she tried to avoid his questioning gaze.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"It's not important." She turned away, her face heating with embarrassment. The man had just survived a Wraith attack on the SGC and the subsequent destruction of the Midway Station. Sleepless in Atlantis was not a topic he'd need to be bombarded with. He'd just gotten home for goodness sake!

Ronon stood in silence, studying her profile while she stood stiffly staring at some spot in the distance.

"I'll leave you to it then." He backed away, turning towards the main building.

Ronon knew she'd started to follow him almost immediately, so he didn't move quickly. He kept his gait slow enough she was able to keep up. She followed silently along behind him, not speaking, but not leaving either. It took a good twenty minutes to reach the base of the tower at her slow pace, but he never looked back, and she didn't call out, so he just continued to walk.

Jen stared at the graceful way he moved… yeah okay so what if she was checking out his butt… but then she'd look away, embarrassed, stumble, have to concentrate on her own feet, and eventually her eyes would drift back up again.

Good lord the man had a seriously sexy backside. Stumble. Concentrate, Keller.

He moved like a jungle cat – sleek, coiled power. Stumble again. More concentration.

How was it he was still uninvolved? He was uninvolved, right? Trip, stumble. Sigh.

After about ten minutes she discovered she still wasn't tired of looking.

But she _was_ tired of walking.

Jen hadn't realized she'd ended up so far away from the building until she – they – began to walk back.

Too soon her legs started their telltale wobble and she had to give up her ogling for the more important task of concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. She stared down at her feet, willing them to keep moving. Right foot, left foot, right foot.

Maybe now she could finally sleep? She snorted softly and shook her head. Not bloody likely. If she was lucky she'd make it two or three hours before her next hike.

Head down she plodded forward, fighting to keep her eyes open. She'd catch herself with them closed only because her body would weave violently to the side, then her eyes would snap open and she'd correct her course. The momentary surge of adrenaline would last a few more steps before her eyes would start to droop again.

She hadn't noticed when they'd finally reached the building, was barely paying attention to anything other than keeping herself upright. She'd forgotten about being outside, forgotten about why she was walking, forgotten about Ronon. In fact she wasn't even sure she had her eyes open when a hand grabbed her arm and she jumped with shock.

Her legs, protesting the sudden required coordination, gave out and she dropped.

"Doc?" Ronon grabbed for her before she hit the ground, and scooped her up into his arms. "You ill? You need a doctor?" He stepped inside.

Jen blinked up into his concerned face and smiled, her eyes half closed. "No. No doctor. I'm just tired." Her body accepted the sudden lack of necessary movement and drooped. Her head fell against his shoulder. "Oh Ronon," She whispered, her voice slow. "I'm just so tired."

Ronon stood in the entranceway, holding her tightly against him, unsure of what to do. How to make it better. How to make her better. "Why aren't you sleeping?" Was all he could think to ask. "What were you doing out there?"

Jen could barely keep her eyes open. She shook her head against his shoulder. "Nightmares. They won't stop. I can't make them stop."

She sighed softly, the sad sound twisting through his heart.

"I walk until I can't stay awake anymore." She mumbled against his shoulder. "Dream. Wake up. Walk. Rinse and repeat."

Ronon frowned. She was damn near asleep in his arms. He started forward, carrying her towards the nearest lift, waiting for her to protest and demand to be put down. But she didn't. Which worried him even more.

When he reached her quarters he hesitated. She was completely asleep now, and he didn't have access to her room. He could call security and have them open it, but that would raise questions, and he wasn't sure it was worth the upset. Even if he did get her inside, she'd just wake up again.

Ronon understood the deep seeded connection between nightmares and exhaustion. Sure you could tire yourself out in the hopes of getting a few hours sleep before the dreams started again. But the truth was, if you were too tired to fight them, they were worse. The only way to break their hold was to sleep. Truly sleep. Deeply and securely.

The decision made, he carried her down the empty hallway to his room.


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

_She ran through her high school gymnasium, watching in horror as the Wraith attacked and fed on the students and teachers. Blood and screaming. Her screaming. Running down a hallway, lockers embedded into the side of the cave-like walls, the sounds of their deaths echoing in her ears. At the end of the hallway she could see the others – John, Teyla, Rodney, Ronon – waiting for her in the cargo area of the jumper, calling her but she wasn't going to be fast enough. Couldn't run fast enough. The door was closing. They were leaving without her. _

_She reached out, cried out, begging them to wait for her. Not to leave her behind. She reached the back door but it was sealed shut. Pounded on hit. Smashed it with her fist. Open! Don't leave me! She could feel the Wraith coming… right behind her… A hand clamped onto her shoulder and she opened her mouth…_

… and sat straight up in bed, the echoes of her scream dying in her throat. Strange shadows danced across the walls and ceiling, outlining unfamiliar shapes in the room. She looked frantically around through the darkness, scared, confused, not recognizing where she was. She jumped and let out a gasp when hands touched her upper arms.

"Easy, Doc." Ronon's low rumble broke through the confusion as her eyes slowly focused on his. He knelt on the floor beside the bed, gripping her upper arms while she gasped for air.

"Oh God." She whispered, her mind fighting to separate the nightmare from reality. "Ronon. I dreamt… I was dreaming you left me behind." A tremble wracked her body and she let out a shaky breath.

He could feel the mad pounding of her heart through his palms and knew his was beating just as quickly.

She'd scared the hell out of him when she'd jolted up in bed with that strangled cry of '_don't leave me'_. He'd fallen asleep sitting in one of the chairs and had snapped awake, reaching for his weapon without even realizing where the noise had come from.

"Oh this is really getting old." She swung her legs off the bed to face him, burying her face against his shoulder. "Just once I'd like to sleep for more than an hour. Just once. Is that too much to ask?"

Ronon wasn't sure if he was supposed to answer her question, so he didn't.

"This happens a lot?" He asked.

Jen nodded against his chest, sliding her arms around his waist. "Since… well… for a couple weeks now."

Ronon didn't need an explanation to know why the nightmares had started. And exactly when. She'd been through a lot – had come close to dying. It would give anyone nightmares.

He moved to sit beside her on the bed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly against him. She leaned into his shoulder, and sighed, her voice low and quiet through the darkness.

"I can't sleep anymore. I'm so tired, Ronon. But I just can't sleep. The dreams… they're driving me crazy. They won't go away."

Ronon found himself wishing he knew what to say. He wasn't a man of words. He didn't know how to come up with the right thing. If Teyla were here, she'd offer some sage advice and soothing words. Sheppard would joke his way around it until he had her laughing.

But Ronon didn't know any jokes, and couldn't think of any advice.

So he did the only thing he could. He held her.

Jen closed her eyes. The man was going to think she was some kind of frightened ninny, afraid of a stupid dream. Except she _was_ a frightened ninny who was afraid of a dream. But the dreams were so real. So frequent. She was so tired she knew she wasn't thinking straight, so she gave up and stopped trying to think at all.

He was so warm.

Strong.

Here and now.

The feel of his arms around her was like being wrapped in a protective blanket of incredible warmth and safety.

She sighed, and suddenly thought of nothing more than sleep.

Dropping his cheek against the top of her head, Ronon felt her breathing changing, slowing, finally relaxing. He wasn't sure how he was going to remove himself without waking her up.

So he didn't.

Picking her feet up off the floor, he lay down on his side, tucking her down beside him. Hooking the blanket with his foot he did his best to tuck it around her.

It had been a long time since he'd allowed himself to get this close to a woman.

Too long.

For years he'd told himself, it was how it would always be.

_He was a soldier. _

_  
A Wraith killer._

_A hand of vengeance for Sateda._

_He lived alone. He'd die alone._

And now… now he wasn't so sure.

He'd found a place that was the closest thing to a home he'd had since Sateda. His friends had become his family. Teyla. John. Rodney.

He'd fought it, and eventually recognized it for what it was.

_He was moving on._

And then… then on top of everything else that was going on with his solitary existence, the petite woman sleeping soundly beside him had somehow wormed her way under his barriers and right into his life, and she did it with backtalk and sass. He'd tried not to think about her while he was on the Daedalus. He'd tried. And failed. And now he knew why.

With a shock of realization, Ronon's mind finally admitted what his heart had been trying to tell him for weeks.

He needed her.

Wanted her.

Missed her.

She wasn't afraid of him. She wasn't afraid to be near him. To touch him. To let him touch her. She didn't cower when he growled. She ignored his best practiced don't-mess-with-me stare. She didn't put up with his attitude, and wouldn't let him get away with anything. She made him smile with her pushy assessments. Made him laugh with her flustered reactions when he came too close. She made him feel more alive than he had in… a lifetime.

Dr. Jennifer Keller stood up to him, feed him back his own bullshit, and made him feel like he was worth something.

As if her sleeping mind knew what he was thinking, she let out a soft sigh and slid her fingers up to the middle of his chest, flattening her palm over his heart.

Ronon placed his hand over hers and pressed it closer, the feel of her cool, smooth skin against his making his heart skip a beat. She was so petite and soft. She smelled of sunshine and fresh air. She was brave and courageous, and would stop at nothing to help someone in need. And she stood up to him.

Ronon silently voiced a solemn promise that nothing - no one - was going to take her away from him so long as he had a breath in his body.

She was his.

Whether she knew it yet, or not.

He smiled up into the darkness, and slowly closed his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE

Jen yawned and stretched, rolled over and burrowed herself in the blankets. The pillow smelled strangely of musk and well, Ronon. She smiled to herself and buried her head further into it's softness, not wanting to shake out of the lovely dream she was having about being held by a certain Satedan.

Despite her attempts to remain blissfully unaware, actual thoughts started worming their way around inside her waking head. Memories of walking. Of laughing until she cried. Of running into Ronon while she sat out on the pier. Of being so tired she'd fallen asleep…

On him?

She'd actually fallen asleep physically on the man?

Her eyes snapped open and she looked quickly around the room.

_Oh lord._

Flinging off the covers she sat up with a frantic intake of air and looked quickly around.

This was _Ronon's_ room.

This was Ronon's _bed_.

She'd – oh crap.

Jumping to her feet she scrambled into her shoes, which were lying next to her on the floor. She hopped first into one shoe, then the other, and quickly glanced at her watch.

What she saw made her freeze in place in the middle of his room.

That couldn't be right. Could it?

She shook the watch and held it up to her ear, even though it was digital.

She looked at it again.

Tapped the face.

_TWO_?

It was two? Two o'clock in the afternoon?

Wait. That would mean she'd slept until… she'd slept through… she'd actually slept?

Holy crap.

Jen smiled.

The started to laugh.

Then cheered.

And danced madly around the room, arms flung wide, spinning in a circle.

With a whoop of joy she hopped up on top of the bed and started jumping up and down, arms waving madly as she did a spastic version of the twist, laughing and chanting yes-yes-yes! She'd actually slept! No nightmare – no freaking out – no screaming and crying. It was two o'clock in the afternoon and she'd slept for hours and hours and the sun was up and she was going to be…

Ack! Late for work!

With a shriek of delight she leapt off the bed and ran for the… oh damn the door's open… but it didn't matter. It didn't matter he'd seen her jumping on the bed. It didn't matter that her hair was a mess and her clothes were wrinkled and she'd spent the night sleeping in his room. All that mattered – right here, right now - was that she'd slept the best night's sleep she had in days… weeks… ever… and it was his fault. His doing. His kindness that had made it all happen.

Ronon stood in the hallway, completely stunned that he'd opened the door to his quarters expecting her to be gone, but instead found her jumping up and down on his bed, laughing.

He'd been worried about her.

Hadn't wanted to leave her, but didn't want to embarrass her either, so once the sun had brightened the sky, he'd snuck out and left her alone.

He wanted to give her time to leave if she needed to. If she wanted to. He'd spent the morning sparring with Sheppard and catching up with Teyla.

He didn't want to come back too soon.

Incase she was gone.

Incase she was still sleeping.

In his bed.

She suddenly shrieked about being late for work and launched herself off the bed. He'd expected her to be flustered and embarrassed but she didn't even blink to see him standing there… and she didn't stop running. Ronon braced himself and caught her as she leapt off the ground and landed hard against his chest. She flung her arms around his neck, wrapped her legs around his waist and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you." She whispered into his ear. Then she leaned back and quickly kissed him, breaking away with a giggle as she wiggled to get down. "I'm late for work."

He released her. Reluctantly.

She laughed and ran down the hallway, nearly crashing into a lab tech as she careened around a corner.

Ronon didn't take his eyes off her until she disappeared from sight.

A throat cleared behind him and he tensed. Turning, he glared at the highly amused faces of John and Teyla, who'd been standing there the whole time, and who had witnessed well, everything.

Jennifer in his quarters. On his bed. In his arms.

John pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow. "So… ah… anything you feel like sharing?"

"John!" Teyla chastised, but Ronon knew she was just as interested in the answer.

"Nope." Ronon stepped into his quarters and shut the door, leaving them both standing in the hallway. "No sharing." He said to the empty room.

"She's mine."


End file.
